The Host of the Demonic Seed, the Nether's Contact Emerges
The Host of the Demonic Seed, the Nether’s Contact Emerges
“Young Master Changge, spare my life! As long as you can spare my life, I’m willing to do anything!”
Lan Yifei’s face had gone pale, his eyes unable to conceal his terror and trembling as he begged for mercy.
Although he was the Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance, that didn’t mean he was stupid. Even a True Daoist facing Gu Changge would meet a dead end.
In this situation, what else could he do?
Although the Dark Net Hall was backed by the Immortal Dao Alliance, and there were quite a few experts of the Immortal Dao Alliance here, he couldn’t be certain that those experts could threaten Gu Changge.
Since Gu Changge had shown himself here, he naturally had complete confidence and assurance.
“You’ve cultivated the Taboo Demonic Arts, but that portion of the Taboo Demonic Arts is incomplete.”
Gu Changge glanced at him, his expression calm, not worried in the slightest that Lan Yifei would try any tricks.
“I know. That’s why I wanted to find out the true identity of the Successor of Demonic Arts from your maid.”
Lan Yifei took a deep breath, forcing his voice not to tremble.
He actually wasn’t sure what kind of grudge existed between Gu Changge and Su Qingge.
But he hadn’t lied either. He wanted to know who the Successor of Demonic Arts was, only because he had his eye on the complete Taboo Demonic Arts.
“Then I shall bestow upon you the complete Taboo Demonic Arts right now.”
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Gu Changge’s mouth. He gave Lan Yifei no chance to refuse, his other hand pointing out flatly.
The next moment, the void trembled, and black light emerged, dense like an indissoluble seed of darkness, interwoven with a terrifying Great Dao aura, suddenly lunging toward Lan Yifei’s head.
“What is this?!”
Lan Yifei’s expression turned incomparably horrified. He couldn’t react at all.
He only felt some icy, terrifying aura burrow straight into the crown of his head, then coil itself in the deepest part of his divine soul.
A strange power continuously spread down from between his brows, seeping through his skin, flesh, organs, and bones, finally dissolving into his Spiritual Sea, as if taking root within it.
This was a black seed, incomparably profound and complex.
Within it were contained Grand Runes one after another, with many mysterious scenes evolving inside—one could even see universes collapsing and stars shattering.
It was more like a terrifying black hole that devoured all matter around it.
Lan Yifei felt that his divine soul and even his life force were being seized by this dark seed.
His life, death, and thoughts were completely beyond his own control. Invisibly, it was as if a pair of hands was gripping his divine soul tightly.
“Young Master Changge... Young Master, what is this?”
Lan Yifei felt some fear and unease in his heart. He forced himself to calm down and asked with a slight tremble.
“This is naturally the Demonic Arts you wanted. From today onward, you are the Successor of Demonic Arts. Don’t disappoint me.”
Gu Changge smiled faintly.
In terms of status, Lan Yifei was the Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance, and he had kept an extremely low profile all these years, with very few rumors about him circulating.
Therefore, Gu Changge planned to have him temporarily replace Su Qingge’s identity, to muddle the eyes and ears of the various orthodoxies of the Beyond.
Even if this matter were exposed later, he wasn’t worried it would trace back to him.
“Successor of Demonic Arts... Young Master Changge, this...”
Lan Yifei’s expression changed, and he instantly understood what Gu Changge meant.
This dark seed was not the cultivation method of the complete Taboo Demonic Arts at all—it was a demonic seed that grew by drawing nourishment from him.
He could use this dark seed to devour the Source of prodigies, thereby achieving the effect of cultivating the Taboo Demonic Arts.
But in the end, it belonged only to the demonic seed, not to him.
He was merely a tool making wedding clothes for someone else—just a host for the seed.
The Source devoured and condensed by it—when it matured, Gu Changge would come to harvest it.
“I think you should be able to do it. Even if you can’t, you’ll have to consider it for your own sake, and for the sake of the sect and orthodoxy behind you.”
Gu Changge smiled faintly.
Hearing these words, Lan Yifei’s face grew even paler, and his whole body slumped, as if the spine supporting him had been pulled out.
Although the Immortal Dao Alliance was powerful, the most powerful and ancient force in the Ashen Immortal Sky City...
If it came into conflict with Gu Changge, the only possible outcome would be annihilation.
“I understand. I wouldn’t dare disappoint Young Master Changge.”
Lan Yifei’s face carried dejection and bitterness. He didn’t dare refuse, and in the end could only accept his fate.
He didn’t dare gamble with his own life, nor with the Immortal Dao Alliance behind him.
What happened tonight had caused far too great a shock for him.
Gu Changge and the mysterious, unfathomable Successor of Demonic Arts of legend were actually the same person!
And he had muddle-headedly become the Successor of Demonic Arts, about to draw the attention of all the orthodoxies and forces of the Beyond on Gu Changge’s behalf.
After returning to the palace within Vermilion Bird Hall, Gu Changge ordered people to send Su Qingge to the Chaotic Star Territory.
The Chaotic Star Territory was now the territory of her sister, Ji Xuan.
Gu Changge had sealed Su Qingge’s cultivation with a Forbidden Technique, having her stay obediently in the Chaotic Star Territory for this period.
As for the matter with Chan Hongyi, he had vaguely guessed at it too.
A few months from now, his grand wedding with Yue Mingkong would likely provoke Chan Hongyi into making a move.
However, Gu Changge could only set this matter aside for now, because before him there were still the matters of the Nether and Pagoda to resolve.
“Qing’er, regarding that youth from the Blue Flood Ancient World, have your people keep a close watch on him these days as well.”
He then called for Qing’er and had her send more manpower.
Gu Changge felt that Lu Ming’s connection to the Nether was probably his secret, and wouldn’t be revealed too easily.
Aside from her Fortuity halo, Xue Yan was just an ordinary girl.
Lu Ming wouldn’t necessarily let her notice his various whereabouts.
“Yes, Gongzi.”
Qing’er received her orders and left. She had just arranged for quite a few experts to head to the Blue Flood Ancient World, planning to follow Gu Changge’s instructions and take control of Lu Ming’s many relatives and friends.
This concerned the great matter of the two ancient assassin organizations, the Nether and Pagoda, and not the slightest carelessness could be allowed.
On the other side, the young woman Xue Yan, carrying the Enlightenment Tea water bestowed by Gu Changge, returned under the Third Shopkeeper’s arrangements to the temporary residence of the Blue Flood Ancient World.
The rich fragrance of Enlightenment Tea permeated the air, with many strange phenomena emerging.
There were heavenly gods and buddhas chanting sutras in the void, a small golden cauldron drifting leisurely, a giant bell chiming softly, and Dao Swords interweaving.
The place was resplendent, its radiance gorgeous to the extreme, giving one the feeling of ascending to immortality on feathered wings.
Every pore felt comfortable, greedily absorbing this Dao charm and aura.
“What is this?”
“Such a rich Dao fragrance—just one breath of it, and my cultivation shows signs of breaking through!”
All the prodigies crowded around in shock, staring fixedly at the teapot in her hands.
Could the tea water in Xue Yan’s hands be the legendary Enlightenment Tea?
Even the group of elders who had brought them to the Beyond had their eyes wide open, unable to believe it.
Although they had never seen Enlightenment Tea, they had seen fragmentary records of it in ancient texts.
At this moment, they could almost conclude that what Xue Yan held in her hands was precisely the legendary Enlightenment Tea!
Even in the historical records of the Blue Flood Ancient World, not many people had ever drunk this tea.
Let alone someone like Xue Yan, carrying back such a huge pot of it.
This was too inconceivable—they simply couldn’t believe it.
“Xue Yan shimei, this is really...”
All the prodigies’ breathing grew rapid, their eyes full of fervor, even their speech trembling.
The elders couldn’t sit still either, all staring at Xue Yan with incomparably eager gazes.
Xue Yan wasn’t surprised by everyone’s reaction.
Back then, even she, upon seeing this item, had found it hard to stay calm, spending a long time settling her emotions.
“This was bestowed by Gu Gongzi. He told me to bring it back for all my senior and junior brothers.”
She nodded slightly and explained, recounting the matter of Gu Changge seeking her out.
Of course, she didn’t mention that Gu Changge had asked her to keep a close watch on Lu Ming.
Hearing these words, the place instantly fell deathly silent.
Everyone was so shocked they couldn’t speak, never imagining that it was Gu Changge who had Xue Yan shimei bring it to them.
“What virtue or ability do we have... This must be that Gu Gongzi’s love extending to all connected with her, bestowing this upon us.”
One elder spent a long time before he could speak, his face full of emotion and complexity.
Through this matter, everyone could also see how much Xue Yan was valued by that Gu Gongzi—even they basked in her reflected glory, gaining the chance to taste this Enlightenment Tea.
“This is good stuff. Even at my peak, I didn’t get to drink this stuff more than a few times.”
On the other side, Lu Ming was likewise staring fixedly at this scene, huge waves surging in his heart.
The Mysterious Stone Fragment beneath his sleeve emitted a gleaming luster.
The middle-aged man’s voice sounded in Lu Ming’s ear, carrying sighs and nostalgia.
“This really is Enlightenment Tea?”
Lu Ming was silent for a long moment before asking him in his heart.
“This is naturally Enlightenment Tea. That Gu Gongzi is truly generous and extravagant.”
The middle-aged man nodded, sighing with emotion.
Lu Ming fell silent once more.
Although nothing had happened when Gu Changge summoned Xue shimei in the middle of the night, the unease in his heart grew even stronger.
As if something that was fated to belong to him was slowly drifting away from him.
That night, basically everyone from the Blue Flood Ancient World was given a sip of the tea water.
Everyone felt gratitude toward Gu Changge, wishing they could worship him like a living bodhisattva.
However, when it came to Lu Ming’s turn, he refused, feeling it was charity from Gu Changge. Even though he understood this sip of Enlightenment Tea water would greatly help his cultivation, he was unwilling to accept it.
“Since Lu Ming shixiong is unwilling, then forget it.”
Xue Yan shook her head and didn’t press him.
In her heart, she was still thinking about the matter Gu Changge had entrusted to her.
Previously, the reason she had developed inexplicable feelings for Lu Ming was that she felt he was more mature, resolute, and responsible than prodigies of the same age.
But now it seemed that Lu Ming appeared to be hiding many unknown secrets.
In the following days, Lu Ming spent his time cultivating the Nether’s secret techniques given to him by the middle-aged man.
These were all techniques cultivated by the core upper echelons of the Nether, which could mutually resonate with one another.
So through this method, he could find the rest of the Nether hidden within the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds.
However, he didn’t know that Xue Yan had been paying attention to his various movements all along, and reporting them to Gu Changge through that message-transmitting Jade Tablet.
Just like that, half a month flew by.
The Hundred Worlds War in the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds grew ever more brutal, and even the people of the Blue Flood Ancient World inevitably encountered slaughter.
Quite a few disciples with slightly weaker strength died miserably in the killing.
As for Lu Ming, every night he took advantage of rest time to go to the Battle Arenas in the various cities of Vermilion Bird Hall, participating in slaughter to hone his combat experience and life-and-death killing techniques.
After all, the secret techniques the middle-aged man had passed to him were all related to assassination, requiring large amounts of killing to accumulate experience.
In this process, Lu Ming finally, through the secret technique taught by the middle-aged man, found a contact of the Nether.
Calling him a contact wasn’t entirely accurate, because the other party was also participating in the slaughter within the Battle Arena. During their clash, the two sensed the familiarity of each other’s methods.
That bout of slaughter ended in a draw.
The two tacitly chose not to continue fighting, and after it ended, sought out a place to talk.
“Which of the Ten Palaces do you belong to?”
In an abandoned courtyard, a somewhat fierce-looking gaunt man across from Lu Ming spoke, his voice incomparably hoarse.
Although this person looked unremarkable, his methods were extremely terrifying and cruel.
Many death row prisoners in the Battle Arena had been brutally killed by him, just to obtain the points on their bodies.
Lu Ming pondered for a moment, recalling what the middle-aged man had told him about the Nether.
Besides that incomparably mysterious Lord of Hell, the Nether also had the Ten Palaces.
“I don’t come from any of the Palaces. I obtained the Nether’s inheritance by chance, which is why I sought my way here.”
He answered, then, following the middle-aged man’s instructions, explained in a watertight manner.
Having fallen sixty million years ago, the middle-aged man wasn’t sure whether the Nether of today still had people he could trust.
“Your methods are indeed very similar to my Nether’s inheritance, yet also completely different from each Palace’s.”
The gaunt man frowned. Although he somewhat doubted Lu Ming’s words, he wasn’t worried about Lu Ming.
After all, his true strength far exceeded Lu Ming’s.
Seeing this, Lu Ming secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had originally worried this person would be suspicious. The Nether was mysterious, and outsiders found it very hard to locate its contacts.
Since that was the case, he might as well test whether this person could take him there.